Group to carry veterans up tower steps, raise PTSD funds
From Illinois Business Journal news services
HARTFORD – A group dedicated to raising awareness for military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder will be at the Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower, 435 Confluence Tower Drive, on Saturday, May 23, to create a fund-raising video.
Linas Grybinas and his local chapter of “Climb for PTSD” will be at the tower at 10 a.m. as they carry veterans up the 262 steps of the tower. The activity will be filmed and posted on Youtube in order to raise funds for PTSD.
According to the National Institutes of Health, 7.7 million Americans either directly suffer from PTSD or affect others by their PTSD. Grybinas and Climb for PTSD hope to raise awareness of this issue.
“We want to show everyone who is affected by PTSD that they are not alone and that they are extremely courageous and strong, contrary to the overwhelming stigma that PTSD is a sign of “weakness”,” Grybinas said. “We want to symbolically help shoulder this burden by carrying a veteran suffering from PTSD up the steps of the Confluence Tower.”
Climb for PTSD seeks donations for every stair climbed to help and honor all of the veterans who have served the country in the military. Donations are used to help treat veterans and assist their families.
Climb for PTSD holds monthly climbs. In April the group held a climb at Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville. Videos are made of each event documenting the climb and sharing the story of the courageous veteran who volunteered to be carried by Grybinas.
For more information about Climb for PTSD, visit www.climbforptsd.com.
The Confluence Tower is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Tours are available throughout the day. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for adults over 62, active military, and veterans, $2 for children over 2. Children under the age of 2 are free.
